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Saturday, April 18, 2009

Little Sister

I grew up as an only child. I was adopted as a baby, so I'm blessed to have my parents (who raised me), and my mother (who physically gave me life).

When I was 18, I found and met my birth mother, and discovered that I had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. However, they live 500 miles away so forging real relationships has been challenging.

But today, I was able to spend the whole day with my sister, April, at Disneyland celebrating her birthday. I honestly never thought I would get to do something like that with her. We're really pretty different when it comes to interests, tastes, beliefs, etc. But, she is my sister. So I like to think we can spend a day together like we did today and enjoy being around one another.

And it was fun. I'm thankful that today it feels more like I have a sister than it did a year ago, or even 6 months ago. Baby steps. Slow, arduous, long-distance baby steps. And those steps look differently for each of my siblings. April has just been the toughest sell on the idea so far.

These awkward dynamics definitely keep life interesting. I love having such an interesting family life. Sometimes it hurts, and it's weird and uncomfortable. But days like today are refreshing reminders of why I keep pressing on.

1 comment:

I grew up for 18 years thinking that it was just me and my two older brothers. Then, come to find out, both my dad and my mom had a son each before getting together and forming the family I knew.

I found out about Josh first and was shocked but happy. Suddenly I had another brother! And a sister-in-law and a nephew! Being the family ambassador, I wrote Josh a long letter telling him about my self and asking questions, and just...saying "Hi, this is your new little sister!"

I found out about Tony, my mom's son, much later. But again I was excited about it. Another brother! I didn't care how many came out of the woodwork as so long as I was still the youngest and only girl. Tony was given up for adoption when he was born, but when Mom went looking for him, he was glad to meet her and get to know his new family. As it turns out, Tony and I are easily the best of friends. Josh too. I love both my brothers, even if they are only "half" (I hate that term.)

It's been harder for my brothers to get used to the idea of having older brothers, and they don't really talk. I think Travis, the oldest in our family, wasn't keen on the idea of suddenly not being the #1 Son. And MattSaar, the middle child, is just...oblivious to most things that are not him and Pearl Jam. Still, I'm so happy that I was blessed (or cursed?) with two brothers to grow up with, and then two more to get to know now that we are all adults. It's grand.

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Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.